Neighborhood Guide

Explore Portland Neighborhoods and Business Districts

Know what you're looking for? Use the drop-down menu for info about a specific neighborhood or business district.

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Identify Your Portland Neighborhood

If you live in Portland or you're interested in renting or buying here, then figuring out your neighborhood is really easy. Just enter the property's physical address at PortlandMaps.com and it will identify the neighborhood.

Knowing your neighborhood creates an opportunity to learn more about where you live. Look for your neighborhood name in the drop-down menu above to see photos of your neighborhood, learn about crime, schools and parks, keep updated on land use notices and liquor license applications, connect with your neighborhood and business association, and more.

New to Portland? Get the Lay of the Land

Portland's really easy to navigate. And it's pretty easy on the eyes!

Portland's really easy to navigate because, for the most part, it's laid out on a grid. The Willamette River divides the east and west sides of town, and Burnside Street splits it north and south. The result is that most of Portland lies within four quadrants: Northwest, Northeast, Southwest and Southeast.

It wouldn't be Portland unless things were weird—more on that later—and that's why North Portland is known as the fifth quadrant, because it's the odd man out in the otherwise straightforward geography. Unlike North Portland, or NoPo as it's affectionately called, East Portland—east of 82nd Avenue—does fit neatly into the quadrant layout. However, it's so large and densely populated that its residents think it should be designated as Stumptown's sixth quadrant. We agree.

Get to Know Portland's Six Quadrants

NW Portland

Jamison Square in the Pearl District.

Chances are, if you're young, don't know anyone, and are new to Portland, NW Portland is the district in which you'll first live because it's made up of model 20-minute neighborhoods that are just a stone's throw from the city center. Its historic walk-ups and high-rise condos make it a favorite of students, young professionals and families, which also make it one of the city's most densely populated districts. It's a popular destination for shopping and dining with historic and trendy neighborhoods like Chinatown and the Pearl District, and also includes Portland's industrial and shipping districts. And, at its most northern point lies one of the county's largest urban parks, Forest Park—a temperate rain forest that's a daytime destination for the city's hikers, bikers and casual strollers.

Northeast Portland

Community Cycling Center on Alberta Street.

If NW Portland marks where newbies first live, NE Portland is where they move when they grow up and settle down. The northeast is also trending hip—it's become a destination for eating, drinking and window shopping, thanks in large part to the DIYers near the Alberta Arts District and the Boise neighborhood. However, the northeast also boasts the historical Hollywood neighborhood, with its glorious art house, the Hollywood Theatre, and the district is, without a doubt, the city's expo and sporting hub: The Blazers play here and it's also home to the Convention Center where organizations from all over the world come to set up shop, celebrating everything from dogs and beer to Legos and comics.

Southwest Portland

Keller Fountain in Downtown Portland.

The hills that roll south and west of Portland's city center are populated with countless single family homes, making it a quiet, safe place to raise a family, as well as the campus of Lewis & Clark College. But, at the heart of the southwest is the city center. Man-made and natural amenities include: museums, concert halls, and Portland State University, as well as an incredible variety of places to take in the city's natural splendor at the zoo, Hoyt Arboretum, Washington Park, Japanese Garden, and the world-famous Rose Test Garden, from where you can take in a sweeping view of the city and, on clear days, spy both Mt. Hood and Mount St. Helens. Downtown Portland is also the seat of local government and civic life, making it the staging ground for numerous annual beer, food and music festivals, charity foot races, protests, and parades.

Southeast Portland

Because residential and commercial rent is still (at present) fairly reasonable, SE Portland is where dreamers come to incubate and grow their first businesses. Think of it as Portland's entrepreneurial laboratory, increasingly home to first-time chefs with those so-crazy-they-just-might-work ideas. It's also the city’s hippest district—you need look no further than the eclectic boutiques, cafes and eateries lining Belmont Street and Hawthorne Boulevard. And lately, the Division/Clinton district is becoming known as a destination for good food and drinks. Southeast is also home to family neighborhoods too, like Sellwood, which has a small town, city-within-a-city feel, and Reed, which is home to the city's—and state's—most liberal college. And despite its miles of bungalow and two-story homes, the southeast is also a playground for outdoors enthusiasts—you can bike the Springwater Corridor or hike Mt. Tabor, the city's dormant volcano, and, if you're brave enough, descend it in your own homemade race car during the city's annual Adult Soapbox Derby.

East Portland

Zenger Farm is located in the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood.

East Portland is Portland—more people live here than in any other district. It's also easily Portland's most diverse area. It's home to the historic Gateway Business District, annual street fairs like the Ramona Street Fair in Lents, and the city's largest, LEED-certified aquatic facility, housed inside the East Portland Community Center. There are also wildlife scenes to take in during hikes around the 12-acre Knott Park, Powell Butte Nature Park, and part of the Boring Lava Field. And, the east also boasts the jewel of the city's urban farming community—the city-owned, nonprofit Zenger Farm, which has 10 acres of protected wetlands and another six dedicated to organic farming practices. Think of it as the city's agrarian classroom for budding ecologists, where outdoor lessons focus on eating healthy, locally and sustainably.

North Portland

The iconic Paul Bunyan statue is located in the Kenton neighborhood.

Like East Portland, North Portland often gets left out of the city's traditional four cardinal compass points. But, the many northern neighborhoods are populated by families and small business owners who long ago committed to making Portland their permanent home. And why wouldn't they? NoPo is teeming with man-made wonders, like Kenton's 30-foot tall Paul Bunyan statue and the majestic, gothic, Willamette River-spanning St. Johns Bridge. North Portland also has within its boundaries the Portland International Raceway, the University of Portland, and the Smith and Bybee Wetlands, a large park with a diverse habitat of indigenous flora and fauna. Plus, the Columbia Slough that runs through it is a great spot for a moonlit canoe trip.